Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass subscription service has become a must-have for gamers on Xbox One and Xbox Series X, but there's also value there for those on mobile and PC. Microsoft continuously tries to make Xbox Game Pass an even more worthwhile endeavor, adding new games to the service on a regular basis. Sometimes these new Xbox Game Pass games are older titles, but other times they are brand new, day one releases.
When it comes to August 2021, Xbox Game Pass will be adding a variety of new games to the service, and at least four of them are going to be brand new, day one Xbox Game Pass games. These include highly-anticipated indie games as well as a contribution from an Xbox Game Studios developer. The genres range from skateboarding arcade games to 3D platformers, so there should be the quite the variety when it comes to new Xbox Game Pass games in August.
Here are the new Xbox Game Pass games for August 2021 that have been announced so far. Please note that there will almost certainly be more games coming to Xbox Game Pass than the ones listed here.
Skatebird
A few years ago, Glass Bottom Games announced the development of Skatebird, a quirky skateboarding game that is best described as a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game where players control a small bird. As the skateboarding bird, players are able to pull off impressive tricks and explore mini-skateparks made up of small, everyday objects. Skatebird's bizarre premise has earned it a decent amount of attention, and luckily any Xbox Game Pass owners that are intrigued can try it without paying more than their subscription price. Skatebird is a day on Xbox Game Pass title and will be available to play through the service when it launches on August 12.
Hades
One of 2020's highest-rated games was the roguelike Hades, which earned widespread critical acclaim and won numerous awards, serving as yet another win for developer Supergiant Games. Unfortunately for those on Xbox and PlayStation, Hades remained exclusive to PC and Nintendo Switch throughout 2020, but now the critically-acclaimed game is finally making its way to new platforms. And better yet, those on Xbox with Game Pass can play it without even needing to buy it. Considering the dizzying critical praise that Hades received in 2020, it's definitely a major "get" for the Xbox Game Pass service in August. Subscribers can finally see what all the fuss is about come Hades' Xbox release date on August 13.
12 Minutes
One of the more unique games coming to Xbox Game Pass in August 2021 is 12 Minutes. Boasting an all-star cast of Hollywood talent like Daisy Ridley, James McAvoy, and Willem Dafoe, 12 Minutes is a game where players are trapped in a time loop. The game starts with an incident where a police officer barges in on a man and his pregnant wife eating dinner, and in the ensuing chaos, kills the wife. Time then resets and players are tasked with figuring out how they can approach the situation differently in order to change the outcome. 12 Minutes' unique premise and high profile voice cast has garnered it quite a bit of attention and hype, and Xbox Game Pass users will be able to find out if it lives up to expectations come its launch on August 19.
Psychonauts 2
August 2021 will also see the release of a game from the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, as Double Fine's highly-anticipated Psychonauts 2 is set to hit Game Pass on August 25. The original Psychonauts is a cult-classic platformer with a sharp sense of humor and memorable characters, but unfortunately it's been dormant for well over a decade. Then these past few years has seen the release of a Psychonauts VR game In the Rhombus of Ruin, and now next month will finally see the release of the long-awaited Psychonauts 2.
Besides these four games, there will undoubtedly be other titles that join the Xbox Game Pass service in August as well. The titles listed here are brand new, day one Xbox Game Pass releases, but the service regularly adds older games as well Rumor has it that Final Fantasy 13 could be hitting Xbox Game Pass soon, so maybe it will be one of the titles added in August. However, that's just speculation at this time, and Xbox Game Pass users will ultimately have to wait for Microsoft to reveal the August 2021 Xbox Game Pass lineup before they can be sure what's coming.
For now, Microsoft is still focused on new Xbox Game Pass games for July 2021, having just confirmed another batch of games that are coming to the service across PC, consoles, and the Cloud. It will likely be another couple of weeks before Game Pass subscribers have a more complete view of what the August 2021 Game Pass titles have to offer.